KOCHI: While constructing the world in ‘Lost in Random’, it is tempting to gloss over the existence of pure randomness, and attempt to fit in die rolls and card draws as though the resulting events are a part of the character’s story itself. This game, in the grand way of a videogame, chooses the creative route of incorporating elements of a board game into the working of its universe. I love the game. I love the story, the art, the music, level design, dialogues, combat mechanics, and the story again.
The game is set in a place called ‘Random’. Random is separated into six districts and ruled by a scary Queen, the sole wielder of a magic die. When the children of Random reach a certain age, she rolls her magic die to decide their fate. Would the roll be a six, making the child her minion at Sixtopia? Or would they be thrown into the dumpster fire that is Fourburg or Fivetropolis? Our leading girl Even finds her in a sticky situation where her sister Odd, is now in the clutches of the queen. Fearing that her sister is in danger, Even sets out on a quest to rescue Odd.
Along this journey, she meets a sentient die, called Dicey. Even and Dicey share a relationship like that of Pokemon and Master. The world of board games and video games collide in combat, which is a good part of the game. Even uses Dicey to go into a ‘Dicemension’ where the die is rolled. A combination of damage, defense, hazard, and cheat cards, with a healthy amount of luck and hand- eye coordination gets us ahead in the game. A good roll means more combat cards can be activated.
A bad roll is just a waste of die energy. Game combat is sometimes like puppeteering an overly complicated dance move – and I enjoyed the one in “Lost in Random”. And so goes the story. Across her travels from Onecroft to Sixtopia, Even meets a variety of people. Dicey and Even work with them and solve their problems, while uncovering the strange truth that connects the origins of Random as they know it.
The witty writing, the character voices, and the cute-goth art style makes the experience immersive. I particularly like the omniscient voice of the narrator, who often breaks the fourth wall. The game is currently free on the Xbox Game Pass. It can be played on the PC, Xboxes, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStations. A 6/6 die roll rating for the game from me, Random Rules!
GAME DETAILS
Lost in Random is developed by Zoink and published by Electronic Arts. The game was released for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation4 and 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S in September 2021.